Naturalists in Paradise: Wallace, Bates and Spruce in the

Naturalists in Paradise: Wallace, Bates and Spruce in the Amazon

The thrilling stories of the three pioneering English naturalistsâ€™ explorations and discoveries in the worldâ€™s richest ecosystem

One hundred and fifty years ago, the young naturalists Alfred Wallace, Henry Walter Bates, and Richard Spruce were on a journey. Their destination, Amazoniaâ€”the worldâ€™s largest tropical forest with the greatest river system and richest ecosystemâ€”was then an almost-undiscovered environment to Western explorers and scientists.

In Naturalists in Paradise, Amazon expert John Hemming weaves the riveting stories of these three menâ€™s experiences in the Amazon and assesses their valuable research that drastically changed our conception of the natural world. Each of the three naturalists is famous for a particular discovery: Wallace is credited, along with Charles Darwin, for developing the theory of evolution; Bates uncovered the phenomenon of protective mimicry among insects; and Spruce transported the quinine-bearing Cinchona tree to India, saving countless lives from malaria. Drawing on the letters and books of the three naturalists, Hemming reaches beyond the well-known narratives, offering unrivaled insight into the often lawless frontier life in South America as seen through the lives of the great pioneers of modern disciplines: anthropology, tribal linguistics, archaeology, and every branch of natural science.
Country USA
Manufacturer Thames & Hudson
Binding Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate 2015-04-10
Format Kindle eBook

Country	USA
Manufacturer	Thames & Hudson
Binding	Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate	2015-04-10
Format	Kindle eBook

Naturalists in Paradise: Wallace, Bates and Spruce in the Amazon

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